Chinese President Xi writes to PM Modi, offers help to fight Covid surge

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message of condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the coronavirus pandemic in India and offered to provide support and help to deal with the current surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.

President Xi sent a message of condolences to Prime Minister Modi over the COVID-19 pandemic in India, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

In his message, Xi said China is willing to strengthen anti-pandemic cooperation with India, and provide support and help to the country, the report said.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi promised to do the utmost in supporting India's fight against the COVID-19 surge and said that anti-pandemic materials produced in China were entering India at a faster pace.

In his letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Wang said that the Chinese side "shares empathy for the challenges facing India and expresses sincere sympathy".

"The coronavirus is the common enemy of mankind, and the international community needs solidarity and coordination for a concerted response. The Chinese side firmly supports the Indian Government and people in fighting the pandemic," he wrote in the letter, a copy of which was tweeted by Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong.

Wang said that anti pandemic materials produced in China are entering India at a faster pace to help India fight the epidemic.

"The Chinese side will continue to do its utmost to provide support and help according to the needs of India. We hope and believe that under the leadership of the Indian Government, the Indian people will surely prevail over the epidemic at an early date," he added.

The messages from President Xi and Foreign Minister Wang came even as the militaries of the two countries are yet to resolve the disengagement from the remaining areas of eastern Ladakh after the withdrawal from Pangong lake area in February.

India on Friday logged 3,86,452 new coronavirus infections, the highest single-day rise so far, pushing the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,87,62,976, while active cases crossed the 31-lakh mark. The death toll increased to 2,08,330 with 3,498 new fatalities.